The writing seemed to be on the wall after the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Denver Nuggets, 92-88, in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series to take a 3-1 lead. That writing seemed to say that the Lakers were moving on.

Not so fast.

"I don't think it's an impossible challenge," Nuggets coach George Karl said after Game 4. "I think it's a great challenge for this young team."

That "young team" has played exceedingly well with its back to the wall as the Lakers have begun to wilt, with neither Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum doing anything to resemble Wilt. Kobe Bryant didn't keep it a secret that he felt his teammates didn't bring the necessary intensity to the Lakers' loss to the Nuggets in Game 6.

The Nuggets enter this winner-take-all tilt at the Staples Center flush with confidence, having won the past two games in the series. Not merely surviving, the Nuggets have been thriving as of late. Fleet-footed point guard Ty Lawson propelled Denver to a decisive 113-96 win in Game 6.

Can the return of Metta World Peace turn the tide for Los Angeles? Or will Karl's young Nuggets group keep surging into the second round?

FOLLOW HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT GAME 7:

05/13/2012 2:01 AM EDT

Hater

During his postgame remarks, Nuggets coach George Karl told reporters, "I hate Steve Blake tonight, but I love him as a player." The former Terp had a huge game, hitting the shots usually taken by Kobe during long stretches. Blake finished with 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting.